Private Pension Funds in Hungary: Politics, Institutions, and Performance

The new pension system launched in Hungary in 1998 is epoch-making for having introduced a mandatory private pension scheme (MPPS). However, the political decision-making on pension reform and the scheme operations have been greatly influenced by conflicts of interests among ministries, political conflicts between parties, and the presence of special interest groups, including trade unions and financial institutions. This situation may have had a certain negative influence on the legal framework of the MPPS and on the management performance of private pension funds. In order for the MPPS to be sustainable in the future and to make insurance beneficiary profits a top priority, the corporate governance reform of pension funds and reinforcement of the monitoring system over them, and political neutralization of the public pension system are necessary.

Home economics evaluation research that aims at accomplishment of a goal as subject (1) : The idea of the academic training, and the location and problem of the Home Economics shown in 2008 version course of study

本報は、平成18年10月に「高等学校必修科目未履修問題」をもたらした平成10年版学習指導要領に示された教育理念が、平成20年3月末に告示された新学習指導要領でどのように捉えなおされ、その中に家庭科がどのように位置づけられたのか。さらに、家庭科が学校教育の目的達成のために寄与するためには、どのような課題が存在するのか、という観点から、文部科学省の新学習指導要領関係の資料を分析した。その結果、①新学習指導要領では、平成10年版学習指導要領の教育理念［生きる力］を踏襲して教育課程・内容の改訂が図られていた。その中に、②小・中学校の家庭科は、従前どおり「教科」として位置づけられ、②［生きる力］を構成する「豊かな人間性」「健やかな体」をはぐくむための教科として、家庭科学習指導要領の目標・内容が示されていた。しかし、④中学校家庭科では、保育学習と被服学習の目的を学ぶ内容が欠落しているため、⑤教科として目指すべき他教科では代替できない「家庭生活を営む力の育成」と「人格形成」が達成できないという問題が理論的に明らかになった。その課題を解決するため、本継続研究では、岡山大学附属中学校で取り組まれている保育学習と被服学習の目的を学ぶための授業開発研究を踏襲し、その学習がどのように「人格形成」に結びつくのかを心理測定尺度の適用により検討する評価研究を試みる

Functional network of glycan-related molecules: Glyco-Net in Glycoconjugate Data Bank

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glycans are involved in a wide range of biological process, and they play an essential role in functions such as cell differentiation, cell adhesion, pathogen-host recognition, toxin-receptor interactions, signal transduction, cancer metastasis, and immune responses. Elucidating pathways related to post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as glycosylation are of growing importance in post-genome science and technology. Graphical networks describing the relationships among glycan-related molecules, including genes, proteins, lipids and various biological events are considered extremely valuable and convenient tools for the systematic investigation of PTMs. However, there is no database which dynamically draws functional networks related to glycans.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>We have created a database called Glyco-Net <url>http://www.glycoconjugate.jp/functions/</url>, with many binary relationships among glycan-related molecules. Using search results, we can dynamically draw figures of the functional relationships among these components with nodes and arrows. A certain molecule or event corresponds to a node in the network figures, and the relationship between the molecule and the event are indicated by arrows. Since all components are treated equally, an arrow is also a node.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this paper, we describe our new database, Glyco-Net, which is the first database to dynamically show networks of the functional profiles of glycan related molecules. The graphical networks will assist in the understanding of the role of the PTMs. In addition, since various kinds of bio-objects such as genes, proteins, and inhibitors are equally treated in Glyco-Net, we can obtain a large amount of information on the PTMs.</p

How Does Culture Appear in Interviews?: Focus on "Treating" in Korea and "Going Dutch" in Japan

研究ノー

Glycine cleavage system in neurogenic regions

The glycine cleavage system (GCS) is the essential enzyme complex for degrading glycine and supplying 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate for DNA synthesis. Inherited deficiency of this system causes non-ketotic hyperglycinemia, characterized by severe neurological symptoms and frequent association of brain malformations. Although high levels of glycine have been considered to cause the above-mentioned problems, the detailed pathogenesis of this disease is still unknown. Here we show that GCS is abundantly expressed in rat embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells in the neuroepithelium, and this expression is transmitted to the radial glia-astrocyte lineage, with prominence in postnatal neurogenic regions. These data indicate that GCS plays important roles in neurogenesis, and suggest that disturbance of neurogenesis induced by deficiency of GCS may be the main pathogenesis of non-ketotic hyperglycinemi

Attempt of psychology measurement standard application to the child's self-recognition formation evaluation in junior high school home economics family and child care study (1) : Home economics evaluation research that aims at accomplishment of a goal as subject (2)

本継続研究の目的は,家族･保育学習が,教科の目標である｢家庭生活を営む力｣の育成を通して,学習者の人格形成にどう関わるのかを心理測定尺度適用により試みることを目的とするものである｡客観的に測定しようとする評価研究である｡第1報で検討したように,平成20年3月末に告示された平成20年版学習指導要領に示された中学校｢技術･家庭(家庭分野)｣の家族･保育学習には,その目的を達成するために解決すべき課題が2点存在した｡第一は,目的に相当する｢学習者と子どもの関わり｣を学ぶ内容が欠落していること,第二は,保育学習が学校教育の目的である学習者の｢人格形成｣にどのように関わるのかを客観的に評価する方法がないということである｡本報では,第-の課題解決を目的として,岡山大学教育学部附属中学校で取り組まれている授業開発研究｢Flour Baby Project｣を踏襲し,心理測定尺度を適用し,その授業における子どもの心理変化を測る調査用尺度を11要因91項目で構成した｡2008年3月に,同校第2学年200名(男子100名,女子100名)を対象にプレテストを行い,回答を得られた134名(男子54名,女子80名)の結果を,統計ソフト SPSSにより信頼性について分析した｡その結果,11要因それぞれにおいてクロンバックのα係数が0.7以上もしくはそれに近い値が得られ,作成した調査用紙が中学生に適用可能なことが確認された

Attempt of psychology measurement standard application to the chitd's clothes concern and self respect formation evaluation in junior high school home economics clothes study (1) :Home economics evaluation research that aims at accomplishment of a goal as subject (3)

本継続研究の目的は,｢被服学習｣が教科の目標である｢家庭生活を営む力｣の育成を通して,どのように子どもの｢人格形成｣に結びつくのかを心理測定尺度適用により試みることを目的とするものである｡第1報で検討したように,平成20年3月末に告示された平成20年版学習指導要領に示された中学校｢技術･家庭(家庭分野)｣の被服学習には,その目的を達成するために解決すべき課題が2点存在した｡第一は,目的に相当する｢学習者と被服との関わり｣を学ぶ内容が欠落していること,第二は,被服学習が学校教育の目的である学習者の｢人格形成｣にどのように関わるのかを,客観的に評価する方法がないということである｡本報では,第一の課題解決を目的として,岡山大学教育学部附属中学校で取り組まれている授業開発研究｢外観･被服･私｣を踏襲し,第2報で検討した結果から,心理測定尺度を適用することで第二の課題を検討することを目的とした｡被服学習で子どもの｢人格形成｣を測るためには,① ｢学習者自身｣と② ｢学習者と被服との関係性｣の心理傾向を測定する必要があるが,既存の｢心理測定尺度｣を検討し,① は第2報と同じ｢自尊感情尺度｣,② は｢被服関心度質問表｣を選択し,調査用紙を作成した｡2008年3月に岡山大学附属中学校第1･2学年400名(第1学年男子100名･女子100名,第2学年男子100名･女子100名)を対象にプレテストを行い,回答を得られた242名(第1学年男子42名･女子62名,第2学年男子56名･女子82名)の結果を統計ソフトSPSSにより信頼性について分析した｡その結果,クロンバックのα係数が概ね0.7以上となり,作成した調査用紙は中学生に適用可能なことが確認できた

A mechanism for extremely weak SpaP-expression in Streptococcus mutans strain Z1

Background: Streptococcus mutans surface-protein antigen (SpaP, PAc, or antigen I/II) has been well known to play an important role in initial attachment to tooth surfaces. However, strains with weak SpaP-expression were recently reported to be found in natural populations of S. mutans. The S. mutans gbpC-negative strain Z1, which we previously isolated from saliva and plaque samples, apparently expresses relatively low levels of SpaP protein compared to S. mutans strains MT8148 or UA159. Objective: To elucidate the mechanism for weak SpaP-expression in this strain, the spaP gene region in strain Z1 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed. Methods: Allelic exchange mutants between strains Z1 and UA159 involving the spaP gene region were constructed. The SpaP protein expressed in the mutants was detected with Coomasie Brilliant Blue (CBB)-staining and Western blot analysis following SDS-PAGE. Results: The 4689 bp spaP gene coding sequence for Z1 appeared to be intact. In contrast, a 20 bp nucleotide sequence appeared to be deleted from the region immediately upstream from the Z1 spaP gene when compared to the same region in UA159. The 216 bp and 237 bp intergenic fragments upstream from the spaP gene, respectively, from Z1 and UA159 were isolated, modified, and transformed into the other strain by allelic replacement. The resultant UA159-promoter region-mutant exhibited extremely weak SpaP-expression similar to that of strain Z1 and the Z1 complemented mutant expressed Spa protein levels like that of strain UA159. Conclusion: These results suggest that weak SpaP-expression in strain Z1 resulted from a 20 bp-deletion in the spaP gene promoter region